Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

0. E. STRUCK. 'THIIQL COUPLING.

No. 299,696. Patented June 3, 1884.

INVENTOR:

BY MW.

I ATTORNEYS.

UNUS D STATES CHARLES E. STRUOK, or

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

THILL-(COUPLENG.

ElPECIFICA'TION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,696, dated June3, 188%.

Application filed January :26, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. STRUoK, of Newark, in the county ofEssex. and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Thill-Couplings, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description. I

This invention consists of a thill-coupling wherein a key is employedarranged to enter slots made in the clip and thill-iron for look ing thesame together.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in allthe figures.

Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of my new and improvedthill-eoupling, showingthe axle in section, the clip being broken awayon the line 00 w of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is asectional elevation taken on theline 3/ y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clip partlybroken away. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clip partly broken away, Fig.5 is a side elevation of the thilliron head, and Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of the key.

A represents the clip, attached to the axle B by the shackle G; and Drepresents the thilliron, secured to the thill F by the bolt Fin theordinary manner. The clip A is formed with the cheek-pieces a a, andwith-the studs 6, for

retaining the block H of rubber back of the thill-iron D, as shown inFig. 1, to prevent rattling, and the cheeks a a are each formed with theinwardly-projecting studs 0 c, which constitute the pivot-pin of thethill-coupling, and

the cheek a is slotted below the stud 0, as shown at d, and has theV-shaped cavity 6 formed in it. The cheek a has the aperture f formed init, as shown in Figs. 2 and'3. The thill-iron D has the slot 9 andV-shaped cavity it formed in it, which correspond in size and shape withthe slot d and cavity 0 in the cheek-piece a of the clip A, and the slot5 is of such size as to be adapted to fit over-the pin 0 of the clip A,as shown in Fig. 2.

E represents the key for locking the clip A and thill-iron D together.This key is formed with the V-shaped tongue i to eorrespondwith theV-shaped grooves e h, and is of a size adapted to pass through the slotd andto fit snuglyin the slot 9 of the thill-iron D, as shown in Fig. 2.

The key E is also made concaved upon itsinner edge, as shown atj, Fig.6, to fit the surface of the pin 0, and is formed at its outer edge withthe loop it, by which it may be attached to the loop Z of shackleO bythe strap G, as shown in Fig. 1. The slotg, made in the thill-iron D, isinclined downward and slightly forward when the thills are in place andheld in working position, while the slot d in clip is inclined downward,so that the slot 9 will stand in front of the slot (1, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, thus holding the key E between the cheeks a atout of line with the slot d, thus preventing absolutely the key E fromworking out.

In order to attach the thills F to the clip A, the iron D will first beplaced in the clip upon the pin 0. Then the thills F will be depressedor the axle B raised until the slot 9 of the thilliron D coincides withthe slot cl of the clip A. V

The key E will then be forced through slot (1 into slot g,where it willbeheld from edgewise movement by the tonguez' entering the cavity h. Thethills will now be raised or the axle B low- .ered. This will cause theslot 9 to carry the key E in front of the slot d, so that all endwisemovement of the key is prevented by the cheek'pieces a a. For detachingthe thills, the same will again be depressed or the axle B raised tobring the slot g of the thill-iron D into line with the slot at in thecheek-piece a, and then a pin will be inserted into the orifice f in thecheek-piece a and the key E driven out, which will permit the thill-ironD to be lifted off from the pin 0 and entirely out of the clip A. I

Constructed in the manner described, it will be seen that the couplingis very simple,strong, durable, and cheap, and that it is perfectlysecure against accidental uncoupling, and that the thills may be easilyattached to and detached from the vehicle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure-by Letters Patent- 1.' The combination of the clip A, formed withcheek-pieces a a and pin c,the cheek-piece a being provided with anirregularly-shaped slot, with the thill-iron D, also provided with anopen irregularlyshaped slot, and a key, E, of irregular form, tocorrespohd with the slots in the cheek-piece and thill-iron, whereby,

- slots are in alignment, and to be forced therefrom by a suitableimplement passed through the aperturef, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the thill and clip irons A D, slotted asdescribed, with the key E, formed with a loop, Ir, whereby said hey maybe connected to the axle by a suitable strap, substantially as setforth.

l. The combination of a thill-iron, D,forrned with an open slot, one ofthe walls of which has a transverse groove therein, with a key formedwith a tongue on one of its sides to register with said groove,whereby,when the said key is inserted in the slot, the slot will be closed, anda central aperture formed in the said thill-iron between the upper endof the key and the upper end of the slot, substantially as set forth.

In a thill-coupling,the thill-iron D,formed with slot 9 and cavity h, incombination with the clip A, having slot (land cavity 0, and the key E,having tongue i, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

CHARLES E. STRUCK.

\Vitnesses:

A. STILLMAN, EDGAR Turn.

